Dredger.



A. WATKINS.

DREDGER.

APPLICATION mzo 0501a. 1912.

1,134,768. Patented A1116, 1915.

5 SHEETS SHBBT 1.

WITNESSES; I a, %%W M I ATTY THE NORRIS PETERS C0. PHOTO-LITHO WASHINGTON. D. C.

A. WATKINS.

DREDGER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.16. 1912.

W/TNEJSFS;

Q1570? d%a7w a n THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. FHOTC-LITHO., WASHINGTON D.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

A. WATKlNS.

DREDGER. APPLICATION FILED DEC.16.1912.

1,1 3%,7Q8. Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

/VVFNTOFZ WI T N E 5 5 E 5 v Mic /'7 777472 A 'HE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTG-LITHO WASHINGTON. D. c.

A. WATKlNS.

DREDGER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.16.19I2.

1,1 34,7G8, Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

5 SHEETS-BHEET 4.

?WW MW 6y QWL ZI m a 72/- A. WATKiNS.

DREDGER.

APPLICATION FILED 050.16. mm.

1,1 3%,?0. v Patented Apr. 6, 1915,

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

113.12. v M M I'NVE'NTO f? THE NORRIS PETERS Co. PHOTG-LITHO.. II-FISHING TON. D. C.

hurrah s rarns Parana vorr on.

ALFRED W TKINS, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

DREDGER.

range the spud mechanism in such manner that the method of working will be rendered more effective and economical than heretofore.

As is well known a spud is a heavy pointed pile which'is mounted so as to'be vertically movable in a vertical pipe, socket or sleeve extending through the bottom of the vessel. Two of such spuds are generally employed arranged at a suitable distance apart on a line transverse of the vessel toward one end thereof, the dredging gear being at the other end. One of the spuds at a time is used and dropped or driven into the ground, the other being, for the time being, raised out'of action by; suitable gear, and the vessel is by the usual "chain or rope gear attached to the bow thereof, swung round the axis formed by the acting spud through a suitable angle causing the cutter to be swept throughan arc struck from the acting spud'or axis and which is eccentrically disposed as regards the keel line of the vessel and thus the cut made is at an angle to the-line of advance of the vessel.

The vessel havingbe'enswept through an are equal in length tothe breadth of the path it is desired to cut,'the other'or second spud which is by the disposition of the spuds now in advance of the first spud (Wltll relation to the path of the cut) that has been acting is dropped into the ground and the first spud is raised and the vessel is swept back to its former position turning on the axis formed by the second spud, and the vessel isthus advanced step by step along the path to be cut. By this method of working the advance of the, dredger and cutter is rendered comparatively slow inasmuch as the arc of each sweep is tangential to orvin- .tersects that preceding it, and ifthe. depth of cut is increased by increasing" the sweep Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented A ine; 191 5.

Application fileclDeccmber 1c, 1912. Serial No. 737,021.

for the working positions of the spuds are placed wider apart the depth of out toward the end of the sweep becomes too great for themachinery and the efi'ective or average mum.

advance of the dredgeris not dependent upon the alternate bringing into action of two transversely arranged spuds, but the cut'in any case is one half of the maxi-, I

According to the present invention the p advance is made regularly in the line of the proposed-cut but not necessarilyin the center thereof, and the sweep of thedredger is made from one axis which may be inthe center or keel line of the vessel or inother suitable position and preferably at the stern I thereof so that the arc of'each sweep is cone centric with'that preceding it; and thus the cuts made are parallel or approximately" parallel with one another-and the depth of cut is always uniform althoughit is capable .of regulatiomand thus the amount of earth or other material raised at each sweep of the dredger will be "doubled or largely increased" compared tothe work of the old arrange ment.

In theaccompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical section taken on the line A' 'A of Fig. 2 of part of a dredging vessel having applied thereto a rotor or device suitable for carrying into efiect the presentinvention.' Fig. 2 is a plan thereof. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a dredger fitted with a rotor and a fixed'position spud, both situated at the stern of the vessel, illustrati'nga method of'working. Fig. 4-is a diag'rammatic vertical longitudinal sectiontaken on the keel line of the dredger showing the parts in position ready for makinga sweep to port. Fig. 5 is asimilar view showing, the parts in the positions they would 'assume after the sweep'toport and immediately prior to the advance of the dredgeiw Fig. 6 is a similar-view showing the partsin the positions they would assume after. the I advanceof the dredger and in readiness for the sweep to starboard. Fig. 7 is a'dia'gr'am' illustrating the lines described by the vessel sweep of the 'dredger when it is traversed one half the maximum distance illustrated and cutter and rotor in" the advance and in the previous figures. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic plan of a dredger fitted with one fixed spud and a rotor provided with two spuds; Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the dred ger 'fittedwith two rotors one being in' -p'heefi purpose.

the fixed spud. Fig. 10 is a similar view showing a rotor and a fixed spud arranged abreast of one another. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the paths traversed by the cutter according to the old method of working with two fixed spuds placed abreast of one another. Fig. 12 is a vertical section taken on the line B-B of Fig. 13 of a rotor provided with an adjustable spud and Fig. 13 is a plan thereof.

In the several figures like parts are in dicated by similar reference numerals and Figs. 3 to 11 are drawn to a reduced scale with respect to the other figures of the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7, 1 represents the hull of the vessel, 2 represents the cutter, 11 represents the casing surrounding the rotor and 12 represents the rotor. The rotor 12 carries an eccentrically disposed spud'15, or it mi ht carry more than one spud, and it may be of any suitable construction provided that itis revoluble, but the preferred construction is that illustrated in the drawings. The rotor illustrated consists of a vertical cylinder 12 arranged in a suitable position preferably near to the stern of the vessel 1 and this cylinder or rotor extends from the deck 3 to the bottom 4 of the vessel where it is open to the water but it is surrounded by and inclosed or partly inclosed in a water tight casing 11 which excludes the water from thehull of the vessel. Tmmediately above the deck 3 is a ring 18 fixed to the rotor 12 and on the deck 3 and bottom 1 of the vessel respectively are fixed rings 5, 6. The ring 5 is provided with vertical rollers 7 upon which the ring 18 of the rotor runs and takes the weight of the rotor 12 and with horizontal rollers 8 a 'ainst which the side of the ring 18 of the rotor bears and which take the lateral thrust thereof while the ring 6 also carries horizontal rollers 9 against which the bottom part of. the rotor 12 bears, or any other suitable bearings may be employed if desired. The rotor 12 has fixed therewith a worm wheel, ring or collar 20 and revolubly mounted in bearings carried by brackets or standards 10 bolted to the deck 3 is a shaft 22 with which is fixed a worm 21 which meshes with the worm wheel, ring or collar 20 and the shaft 22 is adapted to be driven by power through suitable gearing (not shown) so that the rotor 12 may be powerfully turned in the required manner or other suitable means may be employed for this Arranged eccentrically within the rotor and fixed thereto by means of end plates 14 and angle irons riveted to the rotor 12 or fixed in any other suitable manner is a vertical open ended tube sleeve or socket 13 which may be tapered as shown and to which the plates 14 and angle irons are also rivetedand loosely mounted in the socket 13 is spud 15 of the usual character consisting of a long shaft having a pointed end adaptedto enter the ground.

Any suitable means may be employed for lifting the spud 15 so that its point is withdrawn into the socket 18 and dropping it at the required times in such manner that its point enters the ground. Said means may consist of a power winch on the deck of the vessel connected with the top end of the spud by a self releasing hook or the like in analogous manner to that employed in pile driving. At or near the stern of the vessel 1 and preferably offset from the keel line is arranged a 51 ed tube or socket 23 in which is loosely mounted a fixed position spud 24 of the usual character, hereinafter for the sake of distinction called the fixed spud, provided with any suitable means such as those usually employed for raising and lowering it.

The usual means are employed for holding and laterally traversing and sweeping the dredger but as said means form no part of the present invention and as they are well known it is not thought necessary to illustrate or describe them.

The diagrammatic views given at Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive illustrate particularly a method by which the dredger may be advanced by means of the rotor, the required distance after it has been traversed or swept turning on the fixed spud 24: as an axis through a predetermined angle in its dredging operation. Tn Fig. 3 the dredger 1 is shown by the full lines ready for a sweep to port that is, with the fixed spud 24: lowered into the ground and the rotor spud 15 raised clear of the ground and Fig. 4: shows the parts in similar positions. The dredger 1 is now swung or swept toport into the position indicated by the dotted lines 25 in Fig. 3 turning upon the axis formed by the fixed spud 24. The advance has now to be made in readiness for the next cut and in order to accomplish this the rotor 12, while the fixed spud 2Ais down, is turned until its spud 15 assumes a forward position unless it is already so, and the rotor spud 15 is dropped and the fixed spud 24 is raised as shown at Fig. 5. The rotor 12 is then turned a half revolution when the dredger and rotor will assume the position indicated by the dotted lines 26 in Fig. 3 and by full lines in Fig. 6 and the dredger 1 will have been advanced along the path of cut a distance equal to twice the radius of a circle struck from the theoretical axis of the rotor 12 to the center of the spud 15 the fixed spud 24: traversing the line 27. This advance may be accom plished when the dredger 1 is at the extremity of its sweep in either direction to port or starboard or when the full sweep is incomplete and while the cutter 2 is working; in the present instance it is assumed to be done LL A dredger is facilitated inasmuch as the neceswhile the dredger is at the extremity of its sweep to port. On'the sweep of the-dredger to starboard the-aboveoperations are repeated as will be readily understood. In the sweep of the dredger in either direction, inasmuch asit always turnsupon the axis formed by the fixed spud 24, a cut will be made upon an arc struck from said axis and each cut will be parallel or approximately so to that preceding it as shown by the diagrams Figs. 3 and 7, but in the latter diagram only one half of the total sweep is traversed that is from the line 27 to the end of the out and vice versa. The depth of 'cut may be regulated that is reduced by turning the rotor 12 through ajsuitable angle less than a half revolution or increased by turning it more revolutions than one and suitably manipulating the spuds l5 and 24. Furthermore by suitably manipulating the fixed spud 24 the rotor 12 and the chains or other controlling means the vessel 1 may be moved astern or broadside, that is laterally or if desired diagonally in any direction as will be readily understood. I In the example given at Fig. 8 the dredger 1 is provided with a rotor 12 having two spuds 15, 16 both mountedin sockets such as 13 and with a fixed spud 24 all'arranged on a line parallel with but offset from the keel line. By the employment of two spuds l5, 16in the rotor 12 the manipulation of the sity for turning the rotor with its spud 15 nearest to the objective position prior to making the advance is avoided and by suitably manipulating the rotor Spuds 15, 16 the vessel may be moved the maximum distance in any direction at each half revolution of the rotor 12 and this without using the fixed spud 24 until the sweep is made.

In the example given at Fig. 9 is shown a further slight modification in which a separate fixed spud 24 is dispensed with and two rotors 12 are employed arranged on a line parallel with the keel line of the vessel 1 and each provided with a single spud 15 (or it might be with two spuds) With this arrangement the vessel 1 is swung upon the axis formed by the spud 15 of the stern rotor 12 which acts as a fixed spud while at the same time by suitably manipulating the rotors and spuds it may be moved in any direction. In the event of one of the rotors breaking down its spud might be used as a fixed spud.

In the example given at Fig. 10 a fixed spud 24 and a rotor 12. are employed placed at the stern of the vessel and one on each side of the keel line and the rotor 12 is preferably so positioned thatwhen its spud 15 is in a forward position the axes of both .spuds 15 and 24 are in alinement, that is, a

line drawn transversely of the vessel 1 at right angles to the keel line intersects them.

With t arrangement th'e'me thod of working is similar to that described with respect to Figs. 1 to '7, one, two or more half turns of the rotor 12 vessel as. required, the fixed spud24 being dropped between each turn While the rotor is being restored to its initial position. This arrangement possesses the advantage that assuming the spud 15 may be used as a fixed spud in 'combination with the fixed spud 24 andthe vess'el 1 may be by the method adopted. a I I A The diagram Fig. 11- illustrates the paths traversed by the cutter according to the old method of working with two fixed spuds placed abreast of one another. i

of working heretofore being used toadvance the rotor 12 tobreakdown, its

advanced or walked 7 along 1 Inthe example given at Figs. 12 and 13 4 is shown a slight'inodification in whichthe socket 13 of the'spud 15 is made radially adjustable in order to vary the throw of the For this purrotor within certain limits. pose the socket 13 is carried by upper and lower frames 28, 301 Theupper frames 28 carry vertical rollers 32 and horizontal'rollr which V, bear against frames 28 are pro;

short shaft 43 supported in bearings 44 and V upon the end of the shaft 43 is a wheel 45 having holes adapted to receive rods or bars by which it may be turned and through the screw shafts 37 the socket 13 traversed.

Upon the shaft 43 is fixed a bevel wheel 46 which meshes .with a similar wheel 47 fixed on a vertical shaft 48 carried in bearings 50 supported by the rotor 12 and at the lower end of the shaft 48 is fixed a bevel wheel 49 which meshes with a similar wheel 51 fixed on a central short shaft 52 which is mounted in bearings 53 one carried by a beam 40 and the other by the rotor 12 and this shaft 52 through gearing similar to41 and 42 gives motion to screw shafts 54 which work in threaded holes in lugs 31 on the frames 30.

By this construction the frames 28, 30 carrying the socket 13 may be moved synchronously in order to adjust the position of the spud 15. v o v The bolts 37 in Fig. 13 are oppositely threaded in order that the socket member will be operated in one direction when the wheel 45 is rotated in the proper direction, the gearing'disclosed being such that the bolts 37 will both be rotated in the same direction upon movement of the wheel 45.

Although the rotor is shown in the drawings as extending to the bottom of the vessel it need not necessarily do so provided a sufficient bearing is obtained for the spud; it might even be carried by a frame built out from the side or stern of the vessel.

It will be understood that although a cut ter is hereinbefore referred to as the operating or excavating means of the dredger the invention is applicable to any class of spud dredger adapted to be manipulated in a similar way to that hereinbefore described. By the means and method of working hereinbefore described the dredger is rendered more effective in its action and its position can be shifted about with greater facility than heretofore.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is 1. In combination, in a dredger comprising a hull, the said hull being provided with a fixed positioned, vertical socket, a ver- 25 tically movable spud positioned within the said socket for use as a pivot for the hull in oscillatory movement of the same, a propulsion member rotatably mounted Within the hull upon a vertical aXis and having an eccentrically disposed axial socket therein,

G'opies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by. addressing the a vertically movable spud mounted within the socket of the propulsion member, means for rotating the propulsion member and for securing the same in adjusted position with relation to the-hull, and means for raising and lowering said spuds, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.

2. In combination, in a dredger compris ing a hull, the said hull being provided with a fixed positioned, vertical socket, a vertically movable spud positioned within the said socket for use as a pivot for the hull in oscillatory movement of the same, a propulsion member rotatably mounted within the hull upon a vertical axis and having an eccentrically disposed axial socket therein, a vertically movable spud mounted within the socket of the propulsion member, means for rotating the propulsion member and for securing the same in adjusted position with relation to the hull, and means carried by the rotatable propulsion member by which its socket may be adjusted radially with respect thereto.

ALFRED WATKINS.

C. H. WHITE.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 1). 0. 

